A legal doctrine that prevents the same parties from relitigating the same claim or issue that has already been finally decided by a competent court. Once a matter is adjudicated, it cannot be tried again.
From Latin 'res judicata,' meaning 'a matter judged' or 'thing decided,' combining 'res' (thing/matter) and 'judicata' (judged). This principle originated in Roman law to ensure finality in legal proceedings and prevent endless litigation.
Res judicata is the legal world's 'no backsies' rule - once a court decides your case, you can't keep suing over the same issue hoping for a better result, even if you think of brilliant new arguments later!
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